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Giant Silkworm Moth Caterpillar (Lonomia obliqua)
Listed as the world's most deadliest catterpillar, or "Assassin Caterpillar", this is not a bug to mess with. It's main body color is black, it has about the length of a male human hand. It has yellow feet and red spots on its body. The spikes at the head and tails are several centimers long.
One of our fellow travellers stepped into one and cried. With the help of the identification of Joost Thissen that incident is not as funny as it was back then, the man should have gotten medical treatment.
This one was found at the Amazon village, a lodge near Manaus, Brazil.
''Lonomia obliqua'' is a species of Saturniid moths from South America. It's famous for its larvae form, rather than the adult moth, for several reasons. Recently announced in an episode of the Discovery Channel, known as the “assassin caterpillar,” this caterpillar has a spine-covered back filled with venom, and has been responsible for several deaths, especially in southern Brazil. This caterpillar has also been in numerous medical studies.
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And yes It is very poisonous! A sting has about the same effect as an rattlesnake bite!
quote: "Symptoms of Lonomia obliqua poisoning include severe internal bleeding, renal failure and hemolysis. If the skin comes into contact with several caterpillars, death is often the outcome. " Posted 11 years ago, modified 11 years ago
"Meet nature's deadliest caterpillar. Found in southern Brazil, the Giant Silkworm Caterpillar (Lonomia obliqua) is responsible for several human deaths each year. Their bodies are covered with fragile, hollow spines that penetrate the victim and pump venom into the puncture wound. They can be very difficult to spot since they tend to hang out on trees where they are perfectly camouflaged. People accidentally touch them as they pass by. Touching just one caterpillar is very painful and will cause vomiting and internal bleeding. But, these caterpillars tend aggregate in large groups, so most victims will not only touch one. This is when things can become deadly if treatment is not sought swiftly. With venom more potent than that of a rattlesnake, untreated stings can cause massive internal hemorrhaging, kidney failure, and death. The victim will bleed from the eyes, nose, brain, and even from old scars. Basically, a person dies from uncontrollable, internal bleeding. Thankfully, scientists have created an anti-venom, which has greatly increased survival rates. And, the horrifying anticoagulant properties of their venom is of great interest to scientists as they seek to develop lifesaving medications from it. {Spotted in Brazil by JungleDragon founder, Ferdy Christant} #JungleDragon" Posted 4 years ago